Method and apparatus for applying roofing material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for applying roofing membrane material to modules for homes, apartments or the like, in which an applicator for dispensing adhesive and a roll of roofing membrane material are mounted on a carriage suspended from an overhead track and runway system which provides for movement of the carriage in four directions to allow the carriage to traverse the roof of a module and also to be adjusted from one module to another. In a preferred embodiment, the modules are movable along a path relative to a roofing station, and overhead tracks are supported above the path and parallel to it. Floating runways extend transversely of the tracks and the path. The carriage is movably suspended from the floating runways for movement in two directions transversely of the module transport path so that the carriage with its adhesive applicator and roofing membrane material can traverse the entire length of a module to simultaneously apply adhesive and membrane material to the entire roof of the module. The floating runways, in turn, are movably suspended from the overhead tracks to provide for movement of the floating runways and carriage together in two directions parallel to the module transport path to permit shifting of the carriage from one module to another and adjustment of the position of the carriage relative to a given module.

United States Patent 72] Inventors Wendell E. Losey Lauderdale Lakes; Evans T. Morton, Pompano Beach, both of Fla. [2]] Appl. No. 1,767 [22] Filed Jan. 9, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 7, 1971 [73] Assignee Behring Corporation Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ROOFING MATERIAL 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. 156/575, 156/71 [51] Int. Cl E041 13/20, B44c 7/02 [50] Field ofSearch 156/71, 189, 391, 523, 524, 525, 526,527, 574, 575, 576, 577; 52/745 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 439,789 11/1890 McQueney 156/574 2,980,264 4/1961 Burt et al 212/132 2,982,425 5/1961 Moore 212/2 907,731 12/1908 Buckborough 156/575 3,391,873 7/1968 Hardesty :7 h 55 2,549,239 4/1951 Robertsonetal 2l4/l6.42X

Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-James M. Hanley Attorney-Settle and Oltman ABSTRACT: Apparatus for applying roofing membrane material to modules for homes, apartments or the like, in which an applicator for dispensing adhesive and a roll of roofing membrane material are mounted on a carriage suspended from an overhead track and runway system which provides for movement of the carriage in four directions to allow the carriage to traverse the roof of a module and also to be adjusted from one module to another. in a preferred embodiment, the modules are movable along a path relative to a roofing station, and overhead tracks are supported above the path and parallel to it. Floating runways extend transversely of the tracks and the path. The carriage is movably suspended from the floating runways for movement in two directions transversely of the module transport path so that the carriage with its adhesive applicator and roofing membrane material can traverse the entire length of a module to simultaneously apply adhesive and membrane material to the entire roof of the module. The floating runways, in turn, are movably suspended from the overhead tracks to provide for movement of the floating runways and carriage together in two directions parallel to the module transport path to permit shifting of the carriage from one module to another and adjustment of the position of the carriage relative to a given module.

PATENTEU BE; 1 1971 sum 1 0F 2 ATT'YS.

PATENTED nee nan 3525 04 sum 2 BF 2 INVENTORS WENDELL E. LOSE Y EVANS 7. MORTON.

SETTLE 8 OLTMAN.

ATT'YS.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ROOFING MATERIAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the construction of conventional homes, apartments and the like, roof membrane material is ordinarily applied to the roof sheathing to provide a waterproof or water-resisting layer under the outer roof surface which may be shingles, tile, gravel or the like. The application of the roofing membrane requires considerable labor and time as do most construction jobs in conventional buildings.

In order to reduce construction costs, take advantage of new materials and fabrication technology, speed up construction, and for other reasons as well, some homes and other buildings are presently being constructed in factories in the form of modules which are transported to the building site and assembled there in to a complete building. Although substantial improvements have been achieved in such factory built homes, there are still difficulties, and one of these is connected with the application of roofing membrane material to the roof of modules. If this task must be accomplished by hand labor in much the same fashion as it is done on conventional homes, the application of roofing could slow down assembly lines, tie up relatively large numbers of workmen, and generally reduce the output rate of the fabrication operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides apparatus which is particularly useful in factories to apply roofing membrane material to building modules with increased efficiency. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is provided at a roofing station in an assembly line where modules for homes, apartments or the like, are transported from station to station where individual tasks are performed as a large volume production operation. At the roofing station, overhead tracks are supported above the work area for modules and extending parallel to the path of movement of the modules. Floating runways extend crosswise of these tracks and have wheels which ride along the tracks to provide for movement of the floating runways in two directions parallel to the travel path of the modules. A carriage is suspended from the floating runways and has wheels which provide for movement of the carriage along the runways in two directions transversely of the path of travel of the modules to permit the carriage to traverse the entire length of a roof on a module. The carriage supports adhesive applicator means and membrane applicator means which simultaneously apply adhesive and then roof membrane material to the roof of a module as the carriage traverses the roof. The adhesive applicator and the membrane material are wide enough to cover the entire width of the roof at one time so that only a single traverse of the carriage is necessary. A roll is also provided on the carriage to press the membrane material onto the adhesive as the carriage moves. Cutting means may also be provided for severing the membrane material at the end of a roof. The carriage may be adjusted from one module to another, or its position may be adjusted relative to a single module, by movement of the floating runways along the overhead tracks. With this apparatus, roofing membrane material may be applied to an entire roof in one continuous motion of the carriage, thus minimizing the time and labor required to apply the roofing material.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to increase efficiency in the application of roof membrane material to modules for homes.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for application of roofing material to building modules with a single sweep of a roof applicator across the roof of a module.

Another object of the invention is to suspend a roofing material applicator in a manner which allows movement of the applicator in any direction relative to a building module.

Another object of the invention is to provide for simultaneous application of the adhesive and roofing membrane material to a roof of a module in a manner which minimizes hand labor and hand manipulation of equipment.

Other objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roofing station in a module assembly line showing the applicator apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the applicator apparatus.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a roofing station in a factory where modules for homes are fabricated on an assembly line. The modules for a particular style of home are shown at the roofing station and are designated 1, 2 and 3. These modules are carried on dollies 4, 5 and 6 which have wheels 7 riding on wear tracks 8 provided in the floor of the factory, and the dollies are connected to chains which move in recessed tracks 9, 10 and 11 provided in the floor of the factory. By movement of the chains in these tracks along a linear path, the modules 1, 2 and 3 are indexed along the path of travel indicated by the arrows 12. Alternative indexing means or conveying means are available such as an air caster system or a chain conveyor. While the modules are at the roofing station, they are temporarily stationary, and the longitudinal axis of each module extends transversely across the path of travel 12.

The task which is performed at the roofing station is to apply roof membrane material to the roof of each module to provide a waterproof layer which may itself by the final roof or may lie under the final roof surface or structure. Modules 2 and 3 are shown with the roof membrane material 13 already applied, and module 1 is shown in a condition where the roof membrane material 13 is being applied.

The apparatus for applying the roof membrane material 13 includes overhead tracks 14, l5, l6 and 17 which are supported in fixed positions by the building structure itself which is represented only fragmentarily in the drawings by the columns 18. The tracks 14-17, extend parallel to the path of travel 12, and are located above the roofing station in spaced and parallel relation to each other. Suspended from the tracks 14-17 are two floating runways l9 and 20 which extend at a right angle to the tracks 14-17 and thus cross the path of travel 12 transversely. Coupling means 21 are affixed to the floating runways 19 and 20, and each of these coupling mans 21 has wheels 22 which ride on the tracks 14-17 respectively to provide for movement of the floating runways 19 and 20 in two directions relative to the tracks 14-17 and parallel to the path of travel 12. Drive means may be provided for driving the floating runways l9 and 20 along the tracks 14-17, and this drive means is illustrated schematically by motors 23 and 24 mounted on trolleys 25 and 26 which are connected to two of the coupling means 21 and have driven wheels 27 and 28 riding on the tracks 17 and 14 respectively. Such drive means is to be controlled by appropriate control equipment (not shown). It may be seen that both the tracks and the floating runways may be in the form of l-beams, and the wheels 22, 27 and 28 may ride on the flanges of the I-beams. Other types of tracks are available.

Suspended from the floating runways 19 and 20 is a carriage 30 which is in the form of a frame having vertical beams 31 at opposite ends thereof, horizontal beams 32 affixed to the lowered ends of the vertical beams, and crossbeams affixed to the horizontal beams 32, the crossbeams being hidden in the drawings. Upper horizontal beams 33 and bracing beams 34 are also part of the carriage 30. Affixed to the upper beams 33 are trolleys 35 which have wheels 36 riding respectively on the floating runways 19 and 20. Thus, the carriage 30 is movable in two directions relative to the floating runways l9 and 20 and transversely of the path of travel 12. Drive means may be provided for powering the carriage, and this drive means is illustrated schematically as including motors 37 and 38 mounted on trolleys 39 and 40 respectively, the trolleys being coupled to the carriage 30 and having wheels 41 and 42 driven by the motors 37 and 38 and riding on the runways 19 and 20. Suitable control equipment is to be provided for the motors 37 and 38 to control the movement of the carriage 30.

The carriage 30 can be moved in one continuous sweep along the floating runways 19 and 20 to traverse the roof of a module such as the module 1 shown in FIG. 1. By movement of the floating runways l9 and 20 along the tracks 14-17, the carriage can be shifted from one module to another, and it also can be adjusted relative to any given module to position it accurately directly over the module.

The purpose of the carriage is to provide a frame on which adhesive applicator means and roof membrane applicator mans can be carried. In this embodiment, the adhesive applicator means includes a supply tank 43 for holding or storing liquid adhesive material, the tank being heated or unheated as required. Ordinarily, the liquid adhesive material is an asphalt composition, but it would be possible to. use other liquid adhesives such as polymer compositions and rubber-based compositions. The adhesive applicator means also includes distributor pipes 44 which are spaced at relatively close intervals across the width of the roof of the module and are connected to the tank 41 by piping 45. The tank 43 is mounted on the carriage 30 in any suitable manner and the distributor pipes 44 are suspended from the tank 43. By means of valving, liquid adhesive material is supplied from tank 43 through the pipes 45 and 44 to be distributed on the roof decking 46 of a module as the carriage traverses the roof of the module.

A roll 47 of roof membrane material, which may be material similar to tarpaper, is mounted on the horizontal beams 32 of the carriage 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the roll 47 has a core 48 which is joumaled in a cradle 49 on members 32 for rotation. Thus, as the carriage 30 traverses the roof of the module, the roll unwinds directly behind the adhesive applicator to apply roof membrane material to the roof decking 46 directly over the adhesive. The adhesive material is preferably hot, and as it cools it sets to anchor the roof membrane material to the decking 46. The roll 47 and the adhesive applicator are wide enough to cover the full width of the roof of the module in a single traverse of the carriage lengthwise of the module.

A pressure roller 50 is also joumaled for rotation in the horizontal member 32 of the carriage 30, and this roller 50 is positioned directly behind the roll 47 of roof membrane material. The purpose of the pressure roller 50 is to press the roof membrane material 13 against the roof decking 46 as the roof membrane material is being applied to smooth out the membrane material and remove any air from the underside of the material. The roller 50 may be a pneumatic bag roller if desired. The roller 50 may be adjustable vertically to allow for height and pressure and variations. It may also be adjustable sideways if desired.

Also mounted on the horizontal frame members 32 is a knife blade 51, and this knife blade is movable vertically to sever the roof membrane material at the end of the roof. It is not essential to mount a knife on the carriage 30, since the cutting could be done by means of a separate cutter such as a flying knife cutter mounted at the end of the floating runways 19 and 20.

It will be noted that fixed runways 52, 53, 54 and 55 are suspended from a building structure and positioned to line up with the ends of the floating runways l9 and 20 in two different positions of the floating runways. When the fixed runways and the floating runways are thus lined up, the carriage 30 can be transferred from the floating runways to the fixed runways, for example to refill the holding tank 43. It would be possible to provide one carriage for the fixed runways 52 and 53 and another carriage for the fixed runways 54 and 55 and to move these carriages in alternation so that one applicator could be serviced while the other applicator is being used.

In normal operation of the illustrated embodiment, three modules 1, 2 and 3 are indexed to the roofing station and are positioned there transversely across the path of travel 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The carriage 30 and the floating runways l9 and 20 are first adjusted to line up over the roof of module 3, and the carriage 30 is traversed from the near end of the module to the far end thereof in order to apply roofing material to the module 3. After this roofing material has been severed, the carriage 30 is moved back to its initial position at the near end of the module 3, and then floating runways l9 and 20 are moved to position the carriage 30 over module 2. The carriage 30 is then moved along the floating runways 19 and 20 to traverse the module 2 and then is returned to its initial position at the near end of module 2. Similarly, the carriage 30 is then moved with the runways l9 and 20 to position the carriage over module 1, and the carriage is moved along the runways 19 and 20 to traverse the full length of the module and apply adhesive and roofing material to the roof of module It is desireable for a minimum number of workmen, perhaps only two, to work along with the apparatus. For this purpose, platforms 56 and 57 which are suspended from cross braces 58 are mounted on the floating runways l9 and 20. Cylinders 59 are provided between the runways l9 and 20 and the cross braces 58 to allow the platforms to be lowered so as to straddle the roof of a module and raised so as to clear the roof of the module.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the invention provides a roofing applying apparatus which allows roof membrane material to be applied efficiently to modules for homes, apartments or the like on a large scale production basis. The roof applicator of the apparatus can be moved in any direction by means of a system of floating runways and fixed runways or tracks to give full flexibility in positioning the roofing applicator. The applicator can traverse a given module in one sweep along the length of the roof of the module and can apply roof membrane material across the full width and length of the module in that single sweep. The apparatus requires only a minimum number of workmen for supervising and controlling its operation, and it affords speed and economy in the application of roof membrane material to modules being produced on a assembly line.

Having thus described out invention, we claim:

1. In an apparatus for applying roofing membrane material to modules for homes, apartments or the like, the modules being transported along a path with a longitudinal axis of each module transverse to the path, the combination of overhead track means supported over the module path and extending parallel to said path, floating runway means suspended from said track means and extending transversely thereof, means affixed to said floating runways means suspending the same from said track means for movement relative to said track means in two directions parallel to said path, a carriage, means for moving said modules along said path and to position the same at a roofing station where said carriage is located, means suspending said carriage from said floating runway means for movement relative to said floating runway means in two directions transverse to said path, adhesive applicator means affixed to said carriage for applying adhesive material to the roof of a module, said applicator means including adhesive supply means, and means for supporting roofing material adjacent said applicator means for application of the roofing material to the roof of a module over adhesive, said carriage being movable along said floating runway means for application of adhesive and roofing material to a module, and said carriage being movable with said floating runways mans along said overhead track means for adjusting the position thereof relative to a module or a group of modules.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said floating runway means includes a pair of spaced elongated runways having said carriage suspended therefrom, said suspending means including wheels riding on said runways longitudinally thereof.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including a series of fixed runways supported in spaced parallel relation to line up with said floating runways in selected positions thereof so that said carriage may be transferred from said floating runways to said fixed runways.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim I further including platform means supported by said floating runways to be positioned adjacent the roof of a module.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said platform means includes at least one platform on which workmen may walk, and means coupled to said floating runways and said platform mans for raising and lowering the same relative to a module.

6. in an apparatus for applying roofing to modules for homes, apartments or the like, the module being movable along a linear path with a longitudinal axis of each module transverse to the path, the combination of carriage means, means for moving said modules along said path and to position the same at a roofing station where said carriage is located, adhesive applicator means supported by said carriage means for applying adhesive material to the roof of a module, means on said carriage for dispensing a roofing membrane to apply the same to the roof of a module over adhesive, means carried by said carriage for pressing the roofing material onto adhesive as applied, overhead tracks supported over the module path and extending longitudinally parallel to said path, floating runways extending transversely of said overhead tracks for supporting said carriage for movement, means movable suspending said carriage from said floating runways for movement of said carriage longitudinally relative to the roof of a module for application of adhesive and roofing membrane to the roof, and means movably suspending said floating runways from said overhead tracks for movement of said carriage with said floating runways in two directions along said tracks to allow positioning of said carriage directly over a module.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said adhesive applicator means includes distributor means for distributing liquid adhesive material on the roof of a module and adhesive supply means including a holding tank for supplying liquid adhesive to said distributor means.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said pressure applying means comprises a roller.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said roller, said distributor means and the membrane material are as wide as the entire roof of a module for applying roofing material to the entire roof in a single transverse of said carriage.

10. In an apparatus for applying roof membrane material to modules for buildings which modules are transported along a linear path to and from a roofing station in an assembly operation, the modules extending lengthwise transversely across said path at said roofing station, the combination of a plurality of overhead tracks supported over the module path in spaced parallel relation to each other and to said path, a pair of elongated floating runways suspended below said tracks and extending transversely thereof, coupling means suspending said floating runways from said tracks and having wheels riding on said tracks to provide movement of said runways relative to said tracks in two directions parallel to said path, a carriage, means for moving said modules along said path and to position the same at a roofing station where said carriage is located, coupling means suspending said carriage from said floating runways and having wheels riding on said runways to provide movement of said carriage in two directions relative to said runways transversely of said path, adhesive applicator mans affixed to said carriage for applying adhesive material to the roof substrate of a module, said adhesive applicator including distributor means and adhesive supply means connected to said distributor means, means on said carriage for supporting a roll of roofing membrane material in position to apply the membrane over adhesive on said roof applied from said applicator means, and pressing roll means affixed to said carriage to press membrane on to adhesive on said roof as applied thereto, said roll means and said applicator means and the membrane all being sufiiciently wide to apply membrane continuously over the entire roof of a module in a single traverse of said carriage along said runways. 

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said floating runway means includes a pair of spaced elongated runways having said carriage suspended therefrom, said suspending means including wheels riding on said runways longitudinally thereof.
 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 including a series of fixed runways supported in spaced parallel relation to line up with said floating runways in selected positions thereof so that said carriage may be transferred from said floating runways to said fixed runways.
 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including platform means supported by said floating runways to be positioned adjacent the roof of a module.
 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which said platform means includes at least one platform on which workmen may walk, and means coupled to said floating runways and said platform means for raising and lowering the same relative to a module.
 6. In an apparatus for applying roofing to modules for homes, apartments or the like, the module being movable along a linear path with a longitudinal axis of each module transverse to the path, the combination of carriage means, means for moVing said modules along said path and to position the same at a roofing station where said carriage is located, adhesive applicator means supported by said carriage means for applying adhesive material to the roof of a module, means on said carriage for dispensing a roofing membrane to apply the same to the roof of a module over adhesive, means carried by said carriage for pressing the roofing material onto adhesive as applied, overhead tracks supported over the module path and extending longitudinally parallel to said path, floating runways extending transversely of said overhead tracks for supporting said carriage for movement, means movably suspending said carriage from said floating runways for movement of said carriage longitudinally relative to the roof of a module for application of adhesive and roofing membrane to the roof, and means movably suspending said floating runways from said overhead tracks for movement of said carriage with said floating runways in two directions along said tracks to allow positioning of said carriage directly over a module.
 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which said adhesive applicator means includes distributor means for distributing liquid adhesive material on the roof of a module and adhesive supply means including a holding tank for supplying liquid adhesive to said distributor means.
 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which said pressure applying means comprises a roller.
 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 in which said roller, said distributor means and the membrane material are as wide as the entire roof of a module for applying roofing material to the entire roof in a single traverse of said carriage.
 10. In an apparatus for applying roof membrane material to modules for buildings which modules are transported along a linear path to and from a roofing station in an assembly operation, the modules extending lengthwise transversely across said path at said roofing station, the combination of a plurality of overhead tracks supported over the module path in spaced parallel relation to each other and to said path, a pair of elongated floating runways suspended below said tracks and extending transversely thereof, coupling means suspending said floating runways from said tracks and having wheels riding on said tracks to provide movement of said runways relative to said tracks in two directions parallel to said path, a carriage, means for moving said modules along said path and to position the same at a roofing station where said carriage is located, coupling means suspending said carriage from said floating runways and having wheels riding on said runways to provide movement of said carriage in two directions relative to said runways transversely of said path, adhesive applicator means affixed to said carriage for applying adhesive material to the roof substrate of a module, said adhesive applicator including distributor means and adhesive supply means connected to said distributor means, means on said carriage for supporting a roll of roofing membrane material in position to apply the membrane over adhesive on said roof applied from said applicator means, and pressing roll means affixed to said carriage to press membrane on to adhesive on said roof as applied thereto, said roll means and said applicator means and the membrane all being sufficiently wide to apply membrane continuously over the entire roof of a module in a single traverse of said carriage along said runways. 